Inferno
by SomeDevil
Summary: The team have a date at the new casino opening in Vegas. But when a convict out for revenge sets bombs off inside, how will the CSI's survive? Also, this is a SLASH FIC. GilNick implied and other relationships.
1. Chapter 1

Story: The Towering Inferno.

Ch. 1.

Parties were not his cup of tea, so when he and the entire graveyard shift were invited to the new Mayors induction ceremony at the newly renovated Royal Hotel, Gil cringed and balled his invitation up and throw it into his wastebasket.

He didn't want to go. Crimes didn't stop because Vegas elected a new Mayor, Rory Atwater. Well, he sighed, at least he was better than Mobley. A knock came from his door; he looked up to see Catherine leaning against the doorframe smiling at him.

"Are you going?"

She didn't have to say to where, he knew she'd ask him soon enough about going. He read the bottom line on the formal invitation before it became trash in his can. He _had_ to go. The former sheriff made it so. He was to give a speech. "I don't have any other choice." He turned in his chair so he was facing Catherine as she sat down in the chair in front of his desk.

Catherine let out a huff and smiled at him. "Yeah, well, he wants you there. I don't know why, but he does. Just look on the bright side."

He raised a brow and cocked his head a little. What could possibly be the bright side?

Catherine stood and leaned forward on the desk. "You get to see Nick in a tux." She winked then turned and left his office.

He watched her leave. She had cornered him one day and nearly pried it out of him that he had a "thing" for Nick…and she was right. She was also right about seeing Nick in a tux would be the highlight of his evening, even if he couldn't ask the man to a dance.

Before he knew it shift was over and the team was gone before he even thought about getting out of his chair. It was going on in the morning, and he had at least eight hours before he had to get ready for the ceremony.

The morning sun hit his eyes as he quickly left the building. Sliding his sunglasses into place he headed for his truck. As he approached he noticed Nick's truck was parked by his car. He stepped around the side and saw Nick sitting in his truck, apparently singing along to the radio.

One tap to the window caused Nick to jump. Gil leaned against the passenger side of his car staring at Nick behind his dark glasses.

Nick smiled as the window came down. "Hey, Griss."

"Nick. Why are you still here?" The cautious tone in his voice was barely noticeable. Nick had been acting weird lately. It wasn't a surprise after the Gordon case, but they'd found the accomplice, and Kelly, well, he supposed she wasn't as strong a person as Nick was. Nick still seemed to surprise him with his strength and will every day.

Nick shrugged as he flipped off the radio. "I actually just left. Only been here for a few minutes before you walked out. I was wondering, are you going to the induction ceremony?"

Gil resisted the urge to frown at the younger man. "I have to go. The Sheriff made sure of that. I have to give a speech."

Nick did frown but it was soon replaced with a slight smile. "I'm sorry. I know how you hate doing that."

"If it was a speech about the growth process of fly larva I'd be fine, but having to tell a group of politicians about Atwater is something completely different. Maybe I should tell them about the lunch we shared a year ago."

At that Nick started laughing. He heard about that. The Sheriff told Griss that he wanted them to have dinner, but because Grissom worked night it was made into a lunch. Then the rumor mill went crazy from there. The last thing he heard was that Griss "accidentally" spilled his drink on the Sheriff when he made a comment about how better the lab was when the team was split up.

Nick looked up and saw a slight smile form on the Gil's face. A faint blush crept up his neck and he turned to flip the radio back on. "Okay, I just wanted to know. Warrick and Greg were hashing out seating arrangements, car pooling, and an after party. They didn't think you'd be interested but I told them I'll see."

Gil continued to smile as he thought about it. He barely heard what Nick had even said because he was too focused on that laugh and the blush that had suddenly took over his face and neck. He realized Nick was wanting for an answer. If Nick was going, he'd be there.

"Sure. I had a pretty good time when we all went out for Warrick's after-marriage bachelor party."

A smirk formed on Gil's face as he thought about how drunk everyone got that morning. The party even carried over to the afternoon at Nick's place. He had woken up that evening in Nick's recliner. Greg was on the floor and Warrick was on one end of the couch, Nick on the other. All of them fast asleep.

"Mmm, bet you did. You got us up that evening for work by using a blow horn you found on top of my television set. The smell of coffee has the same effect, you know?" Nick tried to sound pissed off but he said it with a laugh.

"I did make coffee, but all you guys just turned the other way and went back to sleep."

Nick's laugh was replaced with a shit eating grin and he turned the car on. "Yeah, well, it wasn't what I was hoping for."

Gil's smile faded as the remark hit him. What was he hoping for? Nick waved at him and pulled out of the parking space.

"I'll call you later about the arrangements after I talk with Warrick. Deal?"

Gil nodded and watched as Nick drove out of the lot and into traffic. After a few minutes he climbed into the car and started it. The twenty minute drive home went by without him noticing. He was too busy thinking about Nick to see the lights of Vegas faded into the background as he drove along the interstate to his townhouse.

As he pulled into the driveway he made the decision to talk to Nick while they were at the ceremony. It was time to do something about the two of them. He didn't know what to do about Sara when she asked him a few years back, but he knew what he had to do about Nick. Maybe, he thought, he would get that dance after all.


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2.

Gil sat in the back of Warrick's truck trying to figure out his bowtie while Warrick drove them to the hotel. Greg was up front turning the radio channel every five seconds, but his focus kept going back to his tie and the man next to him.

Nick was the last person Warrick had picked up. He was fiddling with the cup holders in the back of Warrick's truck when they pulled up. Warrick had to only honk once before Nick came out of his apartment building. He looked up and his breath caught as he saw the younger man.

Nick in a tuxedo should be outlawed. And Nick even took his time walking to the truck too. His usual work boots where replaced with well kept black loafers…Nick wore loafers instead of dress shoes? Gil was a man but he had an eye for clothes, he thought about buying that particular tuxedo Nick was wearing before, but he settled on the black. Nick's tux was a white, one button shawl. He wore it with black pleated trousers, a black bowtie, and a white button up shirt under it. Gil had to turn and look at the seat in front of him before Warrick or Greg noticed him gawking.

Now, he couldn't even concentrate on remembering how to tie his own tie. Catherine had shown him before and he actually remembered it, but Gil couldn't think clearly with Nick next to him in that white tux and black loafers.

Gil let out a frustrated groan and pulled the tie off his shoulders threw it in the middle between him and Nick.

Greg looked around the seat at him and laughed. "Who knew that Gil Grissom, the great Entomologist and CSI, can't tie a bowtie."

"Shut up Greg." Nick reached down and took the tie in his hands. "I'll help you boss. Turn around," he said looking up at him between way too long eyelashes.

Gil stared at Nick's eyes. Was he wearing eye liner? It really didn't matter, whatever made Nick's lashes that more full and noticeable was fine by him. "Thanks, Nicky."

Nick reached around him from behind and draped the two ends of the tie over his shoulders then brought them up to his neck. "No problem. It took me five years to finally figure it out. Before then I relied on a clip on."

Gil huffed out a laugh and had to slightly lean his head forward before he did something dumb like lean it back against Nick.

"What is this anyway," Nick asked from behind him. "The tux?"

Gil felt Nick finger the back his collar and neck.

"Neil Allyn, 100 wool. Nice brand, that's what mine is too, expect its white off course."

"So I've noticed." Gil bit his tongue before he said anything else like 'you look damn sexy in it too'.

"There all done," Nick said against his neck.

Gil didn't know if it was his over active imagination or not but the way Nick brushed his hands over his neck and shoulders was too slow and deliberate for a man with Nick's ladies man attitude.

And that was want kept his mind occupied the rest of the way to the hotel.

yyyyy

Gil was about to chew through his lip from trying to not laugh. Warrick and Greg were in to the left of him, Nick to his right and the way they all were walking down the sidewalk up to the hotel reminded him of some old rat pack movie. He kept noticing people turning and looking at who was walking by next. He caught some women, and even a few men, giving them more than quick glances. All they needed was a 50's style theme song.

Just inside the entrance Gil noticed Catherine and Sara standing near the lobby desk, they were talking to each other. When Catherine turned around to survey the room, her eyes went wide and mouth slightly dropped as she saw them. He knew it was because of Warrick, that man could wear a paper bag and Catherine would think he was sexy as hell. Sara followed her glaze and her expression was the same, and he hoped to God it was not directed at him but Greg who was directly beside him.

"Well, well, look at you guys. Stop any traffic on the way in," Catherine mocked.

Greg, of course, was the first to answer. "I'm sure you two did. We would have too if the old man wasn't with us."

"Hey," Nick spoke up, "I'm not that old."

Everyone laughed and Gil felt Nick squeeze his shoulder before he walked off to greet some people he knew. Greg was right behind him giving a high-five to some guy next to Nick.

"We're going to get some drinks. Want anything," Warrick asked him.

Gil shook his head and looked around for anyone but Sara who was left with him. He noticed her when they walked in. She looked great actually, but not as great as Nick did. "That's…a nice dress." It really was. It was a nice black, off-the-shoulder dress. If he was half interested in her he would have enjoyed seeing her in it. Was this the first time he even saw her in a dress?

"Thanks, it's a Donna Morgan matte chemise. Whatever that means. I just really liked it." She toyed with the sides and smiled one of her famous grins.

"It goes well with your purse." God, let him find someone…Was that Jim? "Jim's waving me over. Tell Catherine when she comes back that I like her dress too. She asked me to be nice tonight, so," he shrugged and went over to Brass. That was a good save, right? He didn't want to give Sara any ideas because he liked her dress.

Jim was standing with, of all people, Ecklie and Atwater. "Gil, want a drink?"

"Yeah." Gil leaned in a whispered into Jim's ear, "make it a double scotch."

Jim laughed and patted him on the back. "Must have run into Sara," he said before he walked away to get his friend a drink.

"Why do you keep ignoring her, Gil? Any man would love to have Sara interested in them," Ecklie said as he took a drink.

"I'll tell her you said that." Gil smiled when Ecklie nearly choked on his drink. He would never tell Sara that, but Conrad didn't know that. Then he looked at Atwater. "Mayor."

Atwater huffed out a laugh. "I wondered how long it'd take you before you could call me that. I haven't even had my induction ceremony yet."

"Well, I have to get used to it now. I am speaking tonight." Gil tried to keep the mocking bitterness out of his voice, but that was a losing battle. He _was_ bitter.

Jim was back at his side with his drink. "Here. So," he said after Gil had taken a big sip, "when are we heading upstairs?"

The ceremony was taking place on the top floor of the hotel in the new rooftop ball room. It had taken over two years to remodel the place and the Mayor's ceremony was the grand opening.

"You guys can go ahead. Everyone will make their way up there soon enough. I have to stay and greet everyone that comes in. It starts in," Atwater looked at his watch, "an hour and a half."

Gil and Jim nodded and left the other two men in search of the others. They spotted the group hanging around the fountain in the middle of the lobby. Greg and Sara were in an argument of some sort while Warrick and Catherine were in their own little world. Gil knew it was a harsh thought but Warrick should hurry up and get divorced already and get together with Catherine. Cath claimed she was over him, and Warrick was loyal and dedicated to his wife, but they all knew his marriage wouldn't last. And Catherine was never a good liar.

Nick was the only one not engaged in conversation. He was standing a little off to the side watching the argument between Greg and Sara, sipping on a drink and looking around for someone. When his eyes landed on Gil, he smiled and waved him and Brass over.

Gil stopped by Nick. "What's that about?" He gestured toward Greg and Sara.

"Something about if someone commented you on your outfit, if it meant anything."

Gil stiffened at that and stared at Nick. Nick shrugged as a form of answer. Apparently both Sara and Greg heard what was said and they both looked over at the three men staring at them.

"Alright that's it. You two are both on time out." Jim pointed a finger at both of them and waved it a little.

Gil couldn't help but laugh a little at that and looked at Sara and Greg, and then said in mock anger, "You heard the detective."

Greg pouted and hid his head. "As long as we get to share a corner."

Sara turned and playfully smacked him on the shoulder. "I'm not sharing a corner with you," she teased him then turned back to the men who were all biting their lips to keep from laughing. "Can we go up now?"

Gil wondered why Sara kept avoiding Greg and kept having this weird fascination with him. Greg was a great guy…crazy and a total geek, but a great geek. He nodded and took a glance at Nick who was trying not to the show that he was giving him his undivided attention, especially in front of Sara. "Yeah." He started to walk toward the elevator and stopped next to Warrick and Catherine. "We're heading up. You two coming?"

Warrick and Catherine both turned to him. Catherine shrugged and picked up her purse off the fountain.

"Sure. Coming Rick," she asked as she turned to follow Gil who was already heading to the elevators.

"I'm right behind you."

As he approached the elevators, Gil smiled as he pressed the button. This might not be such a bad night after all.

The elevator opened in front of him and a security officer exited the elevator, checking his watch. Gil looked back with a curious look on his face. He'd seen the officer before, he just couldn't place him.

"Are we going," Catherine asked beside him.

"Yeah, just," Gil took a glance back at the officer who disappeared into the crowd, "nothing."

They all gathered on the elevator. Once the doors were closed, Gil pressed the button marked 'R'.

TBC…


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3.

"Jake, Jake Roberts," Gil's head snapped up and he looked at everyone in the elevator. "He was that security officer."

Everyone in the elevator went quiet.

Catherine's eyes went wide when the image of the officer came to mind. "That was him," she said in disbelief that.

"Wasn't he in prison," Nick asked from behind him.

Jim nodded. "Yeah, arson and attempted murder of former Sheriff Atwater."

Gil quickly hit the stop button on the elevator then just as quickly hit the button for the lobby. "We have to get down there."

Everyone agreed and waited in silence as they descended back to the lobby. They were just approaching the roof when they started to descend back.

Jim pulled out his cell phone. "I'll call Ecklie. I don't think Rory has his cell." Jim hit the numbers in and waited for the assistant director to answer his cell. After several moments Ecklie's voice came over the phone.

"Ecklie."

"This is Jim, is Atwater close by," Jim asked as he looked up at the numbers. They were approaching the twentieth floor, halfway there. These new elevators were quick.

"He's across the lobby talking with the new sheriff and his wife. What's all this--"

Ecklie didn't get the rest of the words as the phone went dead. The elevator shook and came to a screeching halt. The lights flickered on and off and everyone stumbled to the floor. After several minutes the lights came back on. Breathing and soft mumbles were heard around the small area.

"What the hell was that," Warrick piped up from the corner next to Catherine.

Gil and Brass shared looks of 'that didn't just happen', but they both knew it did.

Jim looked at his cell then back up at Gil. "Explosion."

Chaos erupted in the lobby. One minute Ecklie was talking to Brass the next he was waking up to fire and blackness. Flames and smoke were everywhere. People were yelling and screaming all around. He slowly got to his feet and made his way through the smoke, fire, and ruble toward the direction of the doors, at least he thought was the direction.

"Rory," he yelled out as he approached the doors.

People were crowded around where the exit should have been. He could see blood and dead bodies spread around. One of the bodies looked slightly familiar. He bent down and his fear was confirmed, it was Rory Atwater.

He quickly stood up and moved some people out of the way as he tried to find a door. After several minutes of trying to locate an exit, he sighed in defeat and realization. There was no getting out. The doors were blocked.

"Why aren't the sprinklers coming on," he mumbled to himself as he turned and faced the destroyed room.

He could only watch as the lobby was being engulfed in flames.

Back in the elevator, Warrick was being hoisted up through the top of the elevator by Gil and Nick. Catherine, Sara, Greg, and Jim were already on top of the elevator helping pull Warrick up.

"Okay, I'm good," Warrick said as he sat on the edge with his feet dangling into the elevator. "Brass, start leading everyone up the ladder. You should be able to pry one of the floor doors open."

Nick looked at Grissom. "You're next."

Gil shook his head. "You're first. It's my responsibility to get you guys out. I'm last," he said in his supervisor voice that made Nick know he wasn't going to take a 'no' for an answer.

Nick sighed and nodded. "Fine."

Gil intertwined his fingers together and leaned the left side of his body against the elevator wall. "Good, now hurry up."

Nick braced his hands against the wall and stepped into Gil's hands. "On the count of three. One, two, three."

And with that Gil lifted Nick in his hands and watched as Nick caught the side of the opening.

Warrick immediately grabbed Nick's hand and held on. "Gottcha."

Nick grabbed the opening with his other hand and swung in the middle of the elevator. He reached further up and grabbed a hold of a bar then peered down at Gil below him.

"You're not tall enough for us to reach Griss. So, grab my legs."

"Nick," Gil warned. "I don't think--"

"Listen," Nick barked out. "Warrick has my right hand and I'm holding a bar in my left. When Warrick pulls and I pull we'll have enough strength to also pull you. It's the only way to get you out of the elevator."

It took a second for Gil to think it over before he nodded. "Okay."

Gil wrapped his right arm around Nick's legs, braced the wall with his left hand, and put his left leg up on top of the hand rail. "To help push off," he said when he caught the look from Nick.

"Are we ready," Warrick asked from somewhere in the darkness on top of the elevator.

"Ready," Gil and Nick said in unison.

"Okay. On three. One, two, three."

Gil pushed off the railing when Nick pulled up on the bar and Warrick pulled on Nick.

Nick was halfway through the opening when the bar snapped and he slightly fell back only to be caught around his torso by Grissom. Warrick gripped tighter and almost fell forward but stopped himself.

Nick grabbed the side of the opening with his free hand and looked over. Gil was gripping a bar on top of the elevator with his left hand and his right arm was wrapped around Nick.

"You okay," Gil asked Nick through a clenched jaw.

Nick saw that Grissom was hanging on with all his strength and his knuckles were turning white. "Yeah. Pull me up Rick!"

Warrick gripped his hand tighter and started to pull. Nick braced his other hand on the top on the elevator and pushed up. Soon he was on top of the elevator. Gil grabbed the other side of the opening while Nick was being pulled up and held on until Nick was completely up.

Before Gil knew it Nick had one arm and Warrick had the other and he was soon on top of the elevator with them. He took a second to catch his breath then followed Warrick and Nick up the ladder on the side of the shaft to wherever the rest had gone.

A light shown several feet above them. As Warrick approached he could tell that Jim had pried a door open. Jim was waiting for them at the top and helped Warrick, Nick and Gil out of the shaft.

Gil started down the hallway to where the other three were at. Catherine was talking on her cell and Sara and Greg were off to the side waiting to here the verdict.

"Thanks, John," Catherine said then flipped the Jim's cell phone shut. "That was John Kuntz."

"What did the Fire Chief have to say," Brass asked.

"No way out through the lobby. I told him about Jake Roberts. He got hold of the security upstairs and told them to keep a look out for him."

"He was in the lobby," Gil said as he leaned against the wall in front of her.

"There's two stairwells off the main lobby and one off the bar area. He could have left through one of them." She took a breath. "There were three explosions, all being synchronized to go off at the same time. The lobby was destroyed and so was the control room, it knocked out the security controls, sprinkler system, and a bunch of others. And the last one exploded on the tenth floor. He thinks there could be another one that didn't go off in the ballroom. The bombs weren't just to destroy, they were fire bombs. The hotel is being engulfed."

Brass looked over at Gil and frowned. "If the security systems are down. No one can get in or out. The hotel goes on immediate lock down."

"Just like the locks we have at the lab. Power goes out, the locks lock into place and you can't leave the building." Gil looked around at everyone as the sudden realization hit everyone.

"Wait," Greg finally spoke up, "so, if we can't get out that means no one can get in, and the fire's spreading. We're in a death trap."

Gil knew it wasn't a question, but he had to confirm it for himself. "It looks that way."

"Grissom. What are we going to do?" Sara stood next to Greg and looked him in the eyes.

Gil didn't know, but he sure as hell wasn't going to wait around to be killed. "First, we need to find the last bomb. Make sure Jake doesn't try to manually set it off. Then," he shrugged, "figure out some way to get the hell out of here."

TBC...


	4. Chapter 4

Ch. 4

"I feel like James Bond." Nick said as he pulled opened the door and did a duck-and-roll across the hotel hallway.

Gil laughed and followed after the younger man, only he didn't do the duck-and-roll. "A James Bond with a Texas accent."

They had been walking up the stairwells and they wanted to check every floor to make sure no one was stranded. Warrick and Catherine were doing the same on the other side of the hotel. They decided to spread out to cover more ground.

Sara, Greg, and Brass went, without stopping, to the roof to see what was happening up there. Plus, Jim had his gun with him and knew more about bombs.

"Bond definitely looked better in a tux." Nick said as he looked down at himself.

Gil huffed out a laugh. "Nick, believe me when I tell you that you look a hell of a lot better than Sean Connery in a tux."

Nick blushed and smiled. "Yeah, well, you look better than Pierce Brosnan."

Gil cocked his head and stared at Nick in confusion. "Who?"

Nick laughed and shook his head. "He's the new James Bond."

"Oh."

They found another stairwell and started their descent once again when he felt his cell phone vibrate. "Grissom."

"Gil, Jim."

"What'd you find," Gil asked as Nick entered the hallway on the thirtieth floor. He looked down and saw smoke starting to rise from a few floors down. That ruled out that stairwell.

"I found the bomb. The timer was never set. I got ahold of one of my buddies and he walked me through defusing it."

Gil could hear the stress in Jim's voice. He opened the door and saw Nick walking down the hall. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Are worst nightmare was confirmed. We can't get out, no one can get in and the fire is spreading up through the floors," he heard Jim take a deep breath, "Atwater's dead, so is the new sheriff, and many others."

"How do you know that?" Gil watched Nick continue down the hall.

"Ecklie. He called and told the fire guys what was going on inside the lobby before he could say much else the phone went dead."

A frustrated sound escaped Gil's mouth. Everyone who was in the lobby was more than likely dead. "Have you heard from Cath and Rick?"

"Yeah. They're just on their way up."

"Anything on a rescue plan?"

"They were talking about choppers, but the wind is really rough right now. They're saying we have maybe an hour or two before the entire hotel is up in flames. The fire department got in through the windows on the second floor but they aren't having any luck getting any further than that."

"Okay, thanks Jim. We'll head up soon." Gil flipped his phone closed and went up behind Nick. "There's smoke rising in the stairwell. I think we should just head up to the roof."

"That's two. Let's hope the north stairwell isn't up in smoke."

They headed toward the north stairwell. A sound coming from behind the door made them stop in their steps. They shared a look and headed for the door cautiously. A yell of 'help' caused them to run to the door and pull it open. Both men froze for a second when they saw who was leading a group of people, some injured, up the stairwell.

Conrad Ecklie was helping some man walk up the steps and holding an injured child in his other arm. "Gil…help," was all he could get out of his dry mouth.

They immediately went to help the other man. Grissom grabbed the child out of Ecklie's arm and helped him the rest of the way up.

"I thought you were dead," Gil breathed out as they continued up the stairwell. He and Ecklie had their issues like everyone else, but he liked the other man. And he knew the looks he'd get from other people if they found that out, but he was happy as hell to see Conrad alive.

From the way Ecklie was breathing and limping, they had to have walked nonstop up thirty flights of stairs. They had eleven more to go before they got to the roof.

"We almost didn't make it past the tenth floor, but the north stairwell wasn't in flames yet. It's coming this way though. We can make it up, but I don't see how we can make it down."

"They're working on a rescue," Gil told Ecklie.

Glancing back he caught sight of Nick bringing up the rear with another child in his arms and helping an elder woman up the steps. A smile crept up his face at that sight. There were at least twenty of them in the group. Hopefully they'd all make it out alive. It'd be a shame after all this.

Before long they came to the forty-first door. Gil reached around Ecklie and swung the door open. The ballroom came into view and everyone turned to see the people come through the door.

Warrick was at their side in a second helping carrying people and so were Jim, Greg, and even Catherine. Gil looked around and saw Sara on the other side doing the same. They were all safe, he thought, at least for now.

A woman yelled from across the room and came running up to Gil screaming about her child. The little girl he was carrying quickly squirmed out of his arms and into the arms of her mother. He turned from the reunited mother and daughter making sure everyone got out of the stairwell before he shut the door.

He collapsed into a chair against the wall and watched the people around him hug friends and family. Soon the crowd dispersed into respective corners and areas and Gil was left with Nick at his side and the rest of the group getting something to drink or sitting around on cell phones. He overheard Sara speaking to someone and asking what the update on the situation was.

Finding his cell phone Gil offered it to Nick. "Do you need to call anyone? Family maybe?"

Nick shook his head. "I don't need to call them unless I'm dying. We're getting out of this. Even if we have to run through flames we're getting out of this."

That sense of strength in the younger man overwhelmed Gil. Staring into Nicks' brown eyes and seeing the sincerity in them, he knew he'd help make that happen. He tucked the phone back in his jacket pocket and nodded. They were going to get out of this. He would follow Nick to the grave if he had to.

TBC…


End file.
